Thoughts on Arizona Game

By 6 p.m. on Saturday we are all going to know much more about this 2009 team. Yes, the Hawkeyes played a very, very good UNI team and beat up on little brother last Saturday, but the Arizona game, more so than the other two, will serve as a good measuring stick of whether this is going to be a great Iowa team or merely a good Iowa team. Here are some of the thoughts going through my mind leading up to the Arizona game.

Battered and Bruised. Does the fact that Iowa will be (potentially) without Bryan Bulaga and Tony Moeaki spell doom? No, not necessarily, but the lack of continuity on the offensive line certainly hurts the Hawks heading into the Big Ten slate next weekend. Likewise, although Ricky Stanzi may certainly miss having one of his favorite targets in Moeaki, he will also miss having one of the best blockers on the team not named Bulaga blocking for his running backs (that would be Moeaki). It sounds like it is purely preventative on the Moeaki front, but you have to think that each game he sits, the more it hurts his NFL draft prospects. Do I think he should play through an injury with the potential of aggravating it? Absolutely not. His health is more important, but the NFL scouts will, for better or worse, take note of the fact that for some reason he cannot string together one season of playing injury free. Here is to hoping that they both play, but I am not going to hold my breath. Likewise, what are the odds of Iowa going a week without a major injury issue this season? I say small.

Second Half in the First Half. Ricky Stanzi will need to be sharp on Saturday. Arizona boasts a very fast and physical defense. Arizona is more than capable of loading the box and letting their corners play press man coverage. Thus, it will not only be key for the Iowa receivers to create separation on their routes, but it will also be crucial for Stanzi to be accurate early in the game in order to set up the run. For whatever reason, Stanzi has looked too anxious in the first half of the first two games missing targets badly; while in the second half, he has looked like Stanzi circa 2d half against PSU. Perhaps the best way to remedy this problem is to roll him out early in the game, which will give him the opportunity to throw high percentage passes. Do not be surprised to see ole Ken O’Keefe calling plenty of pass plays early and often similar to what he did last week against Iowa State.

Field Position. Do not kid yourself, this game is going to be a close one. Ryan Donahue gives Iowa a weapon with his ability to not only boom long punts, but also his knack for making balls die down by the ten yard line. His ability to continue that trend and help Iowa win the field position battle will be an important part of the game. Speaking of special teams, Arizona had a field goal and punt blocked against them last week against Northern Arizona. Mark it down, Iowa will do something big on special teams this Saturday. Here is a fearless prediction that it involves Paul Chaney, Jr.

Boy Wonder. No, not Steve Alford. Brandon Wegher (pronounced WAY-gur) has quickly become a fan favorite following his 100 yd. performance last week against Iowa State. Like everyone else, I am excited to see what he can do against a formidable defense. I would be very surprised to see him run for more than 100 yards this week, but I also think he gives Iowa an option that they have not had since Albert Young—a running back who is a threat to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Do not overlook the fact that this game is a 2:30 start. Iowa would have had a significant advantage with an 11:00 start given the time zone difference. That is probably over analyzing a minor detail, but I was in Tempe in 2004 to watch Iowa get throttled by ASU during a 6:30-7(?) kickoff (AZ time), so who knows. If you are in the mood for a high-scoring affair, then I am afraid you will be sorely disappointed. This is going to be a defensive struggle that will likely turn on a key special teams play or a crucial mistake. Either way, I think we will know a lot about this team by the end of it.

Prediction: Iowa 21 Arizona 17

Pick to Click: Paul Chaney, Jr.